. . . beacon of inspiration.

March 25, 2020 -  . . . beacon of inspiration.

         I get emails from many writing groups, but one caught my attention today.  It came from the Erma Bombeck site and it is as follows:

         "During this coronavirus pandemic we have a choice: we can spread fear or we can become a beacon of inspiration."

         I’ve never met a person who didn’t love Erma Bombeck who could make light of adversity.

         Yesterday I suggested in my “what to do if you are stuck in doors” that you clean your light fixtures or change your light bulbs.

         It is simply Murphy’s law – overnight I have three light bulbs dead out of a 6 bulb light fixture over the kitchen sink.  Of course, I buy them ahead in boxes of 3.  Digging out my special lightbulb boxes, my box contains only 1.  HMMMMMMM - I wonder which bulb I will replace.  And, they are specialty bulbs that you can only buy in one store.  Isn’t that my luck.  Break staying in place to get lightbulbs or not?  We’ve no confirmed cases of coronavirus as of this morning on the NC county map in our county – but should I chance it for lightbulbs?

         If need be, I’ll light a few candles to augment the kitchen lighting.

         The Erma Bombeck site also mentioned a Judy Carter and her two books:  The message of You and The Comedy Bible.  I clicked on the local library website to see if they were available and a huge red warning indicating the libraries are closed until further notice.  HMMMMMMMM, yes I had read that in the local newspaper, but I forgot it. 

         Then I received an email from a new acquaintance who is a school teacher and she will be out of work for at least six weeks.  She is cleaning up a storm and driving her other half crazy.

         I suggested to her “write your novel – they say you can write a novel in six weeks”.  We have it made over that couple – we live out in the country and they live in a condominium in a city.

         Then I turned to checking the coronavirus map by county again to see where we stand in this situation.  398 confirmed cases in this state and no deaths with a buffer zone of no cases in counties to the east and west and north of here. 

         Then I turned my attention to where my brother lives.  Massachusetts is about one-fifth the size of North Carolina [10,565 square miles versus 53,819 square miles] and has 1,159 cases [in all counties] with 11 deaths.  Didn’t that scare the hell out of me – yes it did.   Maybe too much information isn’t a good idea at this point.

         I need to get a grip on this – the best thing I can do is go play outside in the emerging gardens as it looks like the sun is trying to come out.  It is wet, and there is nothing slipperier than wet red clay – I have a yard full.

         Part of me is actually looking forward to slipping and falling in the mud and wallowing around like a hog in order to get up.  At least I will be able to laugh at myself.

         It could make a wonderfully funny blog to share with you.

         Then I checked my emails and got one that made me laugh that I need to share with you.

[Note to Joe. K.  Thanks for the above picture, sounds just like your management pep talks to the troops.]